Petaluma
In Petaluma, CS² helped institute a variety of programs and approaches that were used as foundations for district-wide reform. For example, an after-school program developed for one middle school served as a model for the district's other middle schools and summer school program. Petaluma has connected its efforts to local community-based organizations, providing more student access to support services they need to succeed in school. Petaluma Entrepreneurs led an intensive community involvement process to guide the district's high school reform plan, which resulted in an $800K grant to build small learning communities in their local high schools.

"The CS² Entrepreneurs have brought a new level of community involvement and youth engagement into our schools. Because of the team work and collaboration that they have fostered with parents, students, teachers, administrators, businesses, and community members, we are better educating our students."

- Superintendent, Petaluma City Schools
Petaluma Profile (PDF 144 kb)

San Diego
In San Diego, Entrepreneurs have raised the profile of the district's career technical education by connecting its team to the transformation of comprehensive high schools into small learning communities through the district's Blueprint for Success initiative and with the support of the Gates Foundation. Entrepreneurs are achieving success through a variety of innovative programs, including the Learn and Work summer school internship program, and Fresh Start, a program for students failing four or more classes.

"Fresh Start is a class that changed me for good. I used to ditch a lot and not do my work... But now things are different. My goal now is to graduate from here and go to college for computer engineering."

- San Diego student
San Diego Profile (PDF 128 kb)

Yolo County
In Yolo County, the CS² team works from within overall services provided by their County Office of Education, including Regional Occupational Programs (ROP), professional development for teachers and counselors, and career and youth development services for middle school and high school students. Entrepreneurs have also built strong connections with the local WIB and adopted the use of the Yolo County Work-Ready Certificate to further the relationships among CS², youth, schools, and the community.

"[This] is the first time that the school districts in the county have worked together beyond the coordination that is mandated by law."

- Yolo Youth Opportunity Council
Yolo County Profile (PDF 144 kb)

Sacramento
In Sacramento, CS² is integrated with the district's implementation of Education for the 21st Century (E21), a district-wide reform effort, supported by Carnegie and Gates Foundation grants, which implements small learning communities with career themes in new and existing high schools.

"A strong bridge has developed between the business community, public agencies, and educational institutions that was really effective..."

- Sacramento community member
Sacramento Profile (PDF 128 kb)

New Ways to Work as the Capacity Building Organization
New Ways performs critical functions in its role as the state-wide capacity-building organization for Communities and Schools for Career Success (CS²) in California. The state-wide capacity building organization is a required component of the CS² model, and key to the success of CS² as defined by the Commonwealth Corporation in Massachusetts, originator of the initiative and sponsor-partners with the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB) in California. New Ways supports the initiative in the following ways: convening; coaching; evaluating; and supporting CDE, CWIB, and the State Level-Team of statewide and local education and community leaders.